Visteon filters go high-tech
detnews.com
By Tom Greenwood / The Detroit News
Today's column is about the exciting world of automotive air filters.
Wait, come back! I promise that it's a lot more interesting than you might think.
That was also my reaction when I was contacted by Visteon -- a designer of cutting-edge technology to the auto industry -- about a new air filter it had designed.
A filter that never, ever had to be replaced.
OK, that hooked me because we've all had the experience of having a mechanic lean around the hood and hold up the air filter and say "hey buddy, your air filter's pretty dirty. Better replace it."
So we do, motoring away with a manly feeling of satisfaction knowing that a brand, spanking new air filter is cleaning up all that dirty air before it mixes with the fuel in the engine.
All that changed after a visit to the Visteon testing lab.
"First of all, a dirty air filter is better than a clean air filter," said Neville Bugli, a senior technical specialist in filtration systems.
OK, now that you've shaken my world, explain that one.
"Dirt attracts dirt," Bugli said.
"When an air filter is brand new, the fibers in the filter are more open which allows dirty air to flow through easier. A dirty filter -- up to a certain point of course -- is better because it clogs the openings and traps more dirt."
Visteon's new filter -- which will be original equipment only in the near future -- will have a life span of 150,000 to 300,000 miles, compared to the average filter, which is good for about 30,000 miles.
And what's this super filter made of?
"Old carpets," said Greg Green, supervisor of Visteon's air induction systems.
"At least 25 percent of the filter is made from recycled carpets. The old carpets are turned into plastic pellets which are then turned into plastic parts for the vehicle, including a foam like material which is layered in the air filter."
And where will the new air filter be mounted? On top of the engine as usual?
"We're not limited to the traditional under hood placement," Green said.
"We can design the filter and it's housing into any shape the manufacturer wants, which means the filter could be mounted behind the bumper, in the wheel well or even under the engine. This frees up space on the engine that would have been taken up by traditionally designed filters."
Visteon began designing the new filter system about five years ago.
"We asked ourselves what the consumer would want in an air filter," Bugli said.
"We decided the consumer wanted something they didn't have to worry about; something that was maintenance free."
After Visteon designed the system, it had to test it ... and test it ... and test it.
"We had to test it not just for the U.S. market, but for the Japanese, European and South American market," Green said.
"So we brought in dirt from Japan, Europe and South America to run through the filter."
There's a difference in dirt?
Yup, according to Bugli and Green, who said U.S. dirt is mostly sand-based, while Japanese dirt is volcanic in nature. The filters were also tested on vehicles that rack up a lot of miles and are usually kept running all day.
"Mostly cabs and police cars," Green said.
"They were tested in the most humid city in the U.S., which is Orlando, Fla; the dustiest, which is Las Vegas; the sandiest, which is Maricopa County, Ariz; and in New York City, which has the dirtiest air."
According to Visteon, at this point the new air filtration system is designed mainly for passenger vehicles and will not be available to the aftermarket.
Hey, it's not your dad's air filter any more!
Commuter columnist Tom Greenwood can be reached at commuter@detnews.com; at (313) 222-2023 or at The Detroit News, 615 W. Lafayette, Detroit, Mich. 48226. |
